5 Times James Potter and Sirius Black Never Met
by heygaston2
Summary: 5 times James Potter and Sirius Black meet outside of Hogwarts. AU.


No infringement intended.

* * *

**1. In Private School**

The blazer was itchy and uncomfortable, but not as uncomfortable as the collared shirt he was forced to wear. The gray dress pants were bearable, but just.

"You be good, James," his mother said, stopping the car just before they reached the school gates, "I'm counting on you."

"Don't worry," He said, leaning over to kiss her on the cheek, "I'll be an angel."

His mother gave him her look, the one that said she did not believe him, and he mouthed 'I love you'. She drove off, leaving James to face his first day at Coleman's School for Gifted Children.

He walked to the Student Services office, hitching his backpack on his shoulder. He watched the other students, kids who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth and their noses stuck so high in the air you could see up them.

He entered the building and walked straight up to the secretary, waiting for her to hang up the phone and hand him his schedule.

She hung up the phone with a very snotty 'Good bye' and then stared at him, waiting for him to say something.

"I need my schedule," He said, calmly, resisting the urge to make a snide comment.

"I can assume that you're Mr. Potter, correct?" She said, already typing away.

He did not say anything, just waited for the slip of paper to print and then he was out.

He went up the stairs that led to level two of the four hundred building, taking two at a time, as he was already late, and found his homeroom class. He opened the door as quietly as he could, not wanting to attract to much attention to himself, he promised his mum he would be good.

The entire class went silent, each one of them staring at him. The teacher looked up from his papers, looked James up and down, and stood up.

"Welcome, Mr. Potter," He said warmly, holding his sweaty hand out to be shook.

James shook the hand as quickly as he could, and then wiped his hand on the back of his pants.

The teacher did not make too much of a spectacle, just introduced him to the class and asked where he was from. "You can have a seat next to Mr. Black. Mr. Black, raise your hand please."

A boy in the back raised his hand, and James followed it. He took his seat, dropping his bag on the floor.

The Black boy, he was right fit. He wore the same navy blue blazer as him, but the way it hung off his shoulders in such a way, James could never copy it. His collared shirt was only buttoned at the last three, leaving the rest of his chest exposed to admiring eyes. His pants were loose and baggy, and his leg was thrown over the desk. His hair was shaggy and barely brushed, giving him the just rolled out of bed look.

"Morning," James said, trying to be amiable.

Black opened one eye, the stormy gray color alarming James, "Morning. And it's Sirius, just for future reference.

**2. On the corner**

The night was black as black can be, not a single star could be seen, and the moon was covered in clouds. The streetlights were blaring, hurting James's eyes.

"One night," A woman with too much makeup on and thigh high boots said, "just fifteen galleons a night."

James sniffed his disgust and kept walking, throwing his half-smoked fag on the ground next to her.

He turned the corner and a drunken man walked by him, almost toppling over him. He grinned up at James, the few teeth he had yellow and rotting, "Care to spare a few Knuts?"

The hair on the back of neck stood up at the man's breath, and he was tempted to just let him fall into a gutter, but thought better of it. He leaned him against the wall and cast a warming charm, which should tide him over for the night.

He continued onto the next corner, and was stopped again. This time by a man in leather pants and boots, and a too tight black shirt. His eyes were rimmed in kohl and James could have sworn he saw something shiny on his lips.

"Fag?" He asked, holding out his hand.

James pulled two out of his coat pocket, one for the man and one for him. The man took out a lighter, lighting his own and then held it out for James. James placed the fag between his lips and leaned in towards the flame.

"Thanks," The man said, sitting down on the curb.

James went against his better judgment and sat down next to him. His foot rested on a thrown away copy of the Daily Prophet and he saw the words You-Know-Who in bold letters.

"The wars almost over," the man commented, taking a drag of his cigarette.

"For the blind and delusional, maybe," James said, blowing out the smoke in tiny circles.

The man made an agreeing sound, tapping his foot against the cobbled street.

"James," he said.

"Sirius."

**3. In the loo**

James walked into the loo, pausing to shake his head in disgust. The walls were covered in writing and there was mildew stains everywhere. The tiled floor had yellow discolor on them, and James did not even want to think of what the crusted liquid on the bathroom seat was.

"Get the hell out!" A man said, shoving James out the door.

James huffed, trying to catch his breath, "What the?"

He opened the door again, prepared to fight. He needed to piss and no one was going to stop him. He marched up to the urinal and opened his fly.

"Not you again," the man said, bumping him with his hip.

"Bugger off, arsehole," James said.

There was a pause, just the sound of James relieving himself, and then, "You're the arsehole, arsehole."

"Didn't I tell you to piss off?" James asked, clearly annoyed.

"Can't, you're in my way," He said.

"Arse," James whispered to himself, zipping up his fly and washing his hands.

"Pot calling the kettle black, pot calling the kettle black," He repeated himself. He pushed James out of the way and James could smell the alcohol reeking off of him, and they both walked out to the pub.

**4. Great Aunt Bertha's third wedding**

"The cake tastes like cardboard," James whispered to his mother, spitting out the offending cake into a napkin and throwing it out.

"James," his mother hissed, "don't be rude."

He knocked back his champagne and left his mother to talk to his Great Aunt Bertha and her latest husband. He made a beeline to the back of the reception hall and slipped out the exit used by the band.

He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He loosened his tie and undid the first two buttons of his shirt.

"Is this a strip tease?" A boy asked, coming up next to him.

James glared at him and made no comment. He slipped his hand in his pocket, toying with the lighter he had there.

"Why are you here?" The boy asked.

"Great Aunt is the bride," James said, facing him.

"Third cousin twice removed, or at least that's what I've been told, is the groom," He said, kicking a stray rock with his foot. "But I really meant, why are you back here?"

"To get away from the gossiping women and cake that tastes like shite." He kicked the rock back.

"My mother was trying to match make me with the bridesmaids, my own cousins," He said, blocking the rock with his foot and kicking it back.

"James," He said, offering his hand.

"Sirius," He said, shaking the hand.

"Hey, where's the rock?" He asked, looking down at James's foot.

"There," James said, pointing at the rock two feet behind Sirius.

**5. Apothecary**

_Two ounces Mylabris, ground yohimbine, and ginseng,_ James mentally ticked off his list.

In his hand was a small, wicker basket containing all of the ingredients he needed for his next project. His friends had dared him to make the ultimate lube, a lube that enhanced the sexual pleasure for both partners. A fortnight of looking up potion ingredients from all over the world led him to the three main items he needed. Now all he needed was a few products that would give his potion the consistency of lube.

He picked them up, placing them in his basket and joined the queue in front of the register. He was anxious to leave the shop; anyone that studied potions enough would know what he was holding and most likely why.

"Welcome to Slug and Jiggers Apothecary," the man at the register, said when it was James's turn.

"Morning," James said politely, handing him the basket.

The shopping attendant rang the items up quietly, barely looking at the names of them. James looked at him, trying to remember if he had seen him here before.

_Sirius_ , he read off the nametag on the man's chest. He would have known that name, it was not every day you came across it, and assumed Gladys, the old shopping attendant, had left.

"Big date tonight?" The man asked casually, smirking as he handed James his bag.

James blushed, hurrying out the store as fast as he could. He breathed the fresh air of Diagon Alley gratefully when he made it out, feeling his blush against the cold wind.

"I'm going to have to find a new store to shop at," He whispered to himself, Apparating home.


End file.
